Albertans warned to get vaccinated after 5 influenza deaths

By this time previous year, 104 people had died of the flu in North Carolina, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had declared a national flu epidemic. Two of the victims were older than 65, one between 18 and 64, and the other two were younger than 18.

Minnesota’s flu season is off to its mildest start in several years, but state health officials are warning against complacency because the typical peak isn’t for another month. Even healthy people can get very sick and die. The exceptions are people with life-threatening allergies to the flu vaccine or any ingredient in the vaccine, according to the CDC.

The number of outbreaks of flu-like illnesses in institutions and schools rose from four last week, affecting 34 people, to eight affecting 33 people this week up until Wednesday.

Dr. Martin Lavoie says while children, the elderly and pregnant women are most at risk of getting seriously sick anyone can have the flu hit them hard. Flu shots are still being administered at public clinics, pharmacies and doctors offices with roughly 800,000 doses left in the province.

Ouwendyk says immunization is the best way to protect yourself and others more vulnerable against influenza.

AHS has ordered two million doses of the flu vaccine for this season and so far just over a million people have received the shot.

The doctors also speculated some people may not be getting the vaccine because last year’s was “a significant mismatch” to the strain of flu, and not very effective, but Lavoie calls that “an oddity”. “It’s like you get hit by a Mack truck – that’s the flu”, Mr. Zgodzinski said. They also have state-funded vaccine available in both the injectable form and nasal mist for children and adolescents who qualify for the Texas Vaccines for Children program.

Alberta Health purchased 1.8 million doses of influenza vaccine this season at a total cost of $12.7 million.

Virtually everyone older than 6 months of age is advised to get a flu shot.

Predy said tests have shown this season’s vaccine is “highly protective” against the strain of H1N1, and that it appears to be protective for H3N2 as well.